After the 2020 COVID pandemic, the job market has changed rapidly, and so has the way of hiring for open positions. New terms like The Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting have emerged, and Americans are quietly leaving their jobs, and many tend to find work that has remote or flexible hours. Statistics claim that more than 4.7 million people work remotely in the US for at least half their time. As employees leave roles that no longer serve their career purpose, many move to new, seemingly better work environments that can successfully meet their evolving requirements.
Someone in an active or passive job search needs to enhance their resume to beat employer ATS systems that reject 75% of all candidates, improve networking skills, and follow the correct steps related to landing a new position.
Throughout the years, our society has deep-rooted specific “must follow” tips for job seekers when searching for a new job, but many of them are currently myths or invalid claims backed with no solid evidence. By helping over 35,000 clients to get 4 interviews out of every 10 job applications and working with employers, recruiters, and hiring managers over the past 7 years, we have put together 3 job searching tips that are no longer relevant — and what we think you should do instead.
Sending your resume and cover letter to as many roles as possible can be an enticing proposition if you’re on a time crunch to get hired, but this, unfortunately, is not the best tactic. It would be counterproductive because if your resume does not parse through employer ATS systems, the chances of getting selected will be less than 25% out of an average of 500 applications. Instead, focus on strategizing your job search by asking yourself what type of positions, locations, and salary expectations you have and reading job descriptions that would help you identify employer expectations.
Some of us have heard the outdated rule that your resume must be one page. It originated from the days when printing resumes were very common. Now with the use of employer ATS systems (Applicant Tracking System) and 93.7% of employers in the US using it, job seekers can opt for a resume anywhere from one to three pages. If you are applying for executive positions, it’s best to have up to 3 pages of content to show speciality leadership experience. And, if you have less than 10 years of experience, or entry-level, it’s recommended to use a one-page resume. Anyone with over 15 years of experience should consider presenting a 2-page document because applicants who have that many years will easily have information to fill out two pages which would help them parse employer ATS keyword algorithms.
Another typical piece of advice that floats around is adding every position someone has held, which can over-qualify them for the role, and the best practice is to include up to 15 years of experience. Remember, relevance is more important in the substance of your resume. So, instead of adding all your career events, first focus on the most recent experience, exemplifying your accomplishments to show why you are the best fit for their open role.
Are you overwhelmed and unsure where or how to start your job search? It’s always better to get your resume evaluated by a professional as the first step.
The Job Helpers can help you get started and give you the assistance you need!
"As an executive with 20 years of experience, I was initially hesitant to work with TJH. All fears were allayed after the first five minutes of our initial session. The team updated my resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. They helped hone my resume into a focused document that easily showed the breadth of my accomplishments. Out of the professional career services I have used, TJH has been the best I've had the pleasure of working with."
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